Disappearing foot rest



June 3, 1924.;

. 1,496,569 G. T. VON GERMETEN ET AL DISAPPEARING FOOT REST Filed Sept.21 1923 Patented June 3, 1924.

TES

GEORGE T. VON GERMETEN AND C ARL F. HANSEN, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN.

I DISAPPEARING FOOT REST.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE T. VON GER- METEN and CARL F. HANSEN, bothcitizens of the United States, and residents of Racine, in the county ofRacine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Disappearing Foot Rests; and we do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to disappearing foot rests for automobiles. It isan improvement over that disclosed in our copending application fordisappearing foot rests filed February 16, 1923, Serial Number 619,399and has in general the same objects as those enumerated in suchapplication.

In foot rests for automobiles, as heretofore constructed, difficulty hasbeen expe rienced in preventing the heel of the user from catching inthe recess which normally houses the support or rest proper. Furtherthan this, foot rests for automobiles have frequently been objectionablein that they rattled, bounced out of position and were not easilyoperated. This invention is de signed to overcome the above noteddefects and objects of such invention are to provide a foot rest whichis so constructed that no cavity is exposed for the heel of the user tocatch therein, which is resiliently retained in either its elevated orretracted position and held against rattling or bouncing out ofposition, which may be easily drawn upwardly and backwardly intooperative position, and which may be locked in operative position in asimple and effective man ner without the use of auxiliary locking means.

An embodiment of the invent-ion is shown in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of an automobileshowing the relative position of the foot rest and rear seat.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View through the foot rest showingthe rest in its elevated or operative position and corresponding to theposition shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that illustrated in Figure 2 showing therest in its inoperative or retracted position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan View of one end of the casing.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the casing partly in section.

Figure 6 is a view of one of the end members or arms of the restproper'or support.

Figure 71's a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view on the line X-X of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the central portion of the casing.

The foot rest comprises a casing which includes end members 1 havinglaterally extending secured flanges adapted to rest upon the floor of anautomobile with the depending portion of the casing inset within suchfioor. These flanges are provided with suitable apertures 23 for thereception of screws or other securing means. Each of the end members isprovided with slightly depressed flanged portions 3 which projecttowards each other and receive the central portion 4 of the casing (seeFigure 9). portion is riveted welded or otherwise secured to the endportions so that the casing as a whole is of substantially U-shape, asmay be seen from Figure 1. The casing is reenforced as indicated at 5and is provided with an aperture 6 through which a pintle pin 7 ispassed. A second aperture 8 is provided below and in front of theaperture 6 and receives the spring retaining pin 9. It is to be notedthat adjacent the rear end of thecasing an overhanging port-ion 10 isprovided for a purpose hereinafter to be described. The rear'portion isfurther provided with a recess or cut out 13 which terminates in a rearslanting face 14 (see Figures 2 and 5). The lower portion of the casingis generally downwardly slanting, as indicated at 12 in Figure 5.

The arms or end members of the support or rest proper are indicated at11 and are shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7. They comprise right andleft hand memberseach provided with a socket 15 adapted to receive atransverse bar 16, such bar being of wood or other suitable material.

It is to be noted that the end members are provided with elongated slots17 adjacent oneend and with a projecting portion 18. These slots may beformed in a thickened This central a manipulating member 27 which maytake the form of a projecting lip or loop, as illustrated in thedrawings.

In using the device, the foot rest is rocked upwardly from the positionshown in Figure 3 bymeans of the manipulating member 27. In thisposition, it is slid downwardly, asshown in Figure 2, so that theprojecting portion 18 engages the slanting surface let and thus holdsthe rest in elevated position, the spring 21 aidingin thissecureretention of the foot rest in operative position. It is to be noted thatwhen the rest is in this position that there is no danger of a heelscatching in the recess, as the recess is "forwardly of the support, andas there are noexposed recesses. I WVhen it is desired to close the footrest, it is merely necessary to slide the support 11 upwardly from theposition shown in Figure 2 and, thereafter, to allow it to rockdownwardly into the position shown in Figure 3. The spring will securelyhold the rest in either its elevated orretracted position and willprevent rattling or bouncing of the foot rest out of position.

It is to be noted that the overhanging ledge or shoulder preventsinadvertent operation of the foot rest by stepping upon the projectingportion-18, as such portion is normally housed beneath the ledge 10. Itwill thus be seen-that a foot rest has been provided for automobileswhich does not position, and which will remain in either elevated orretracted position without dan ger. of either bouncing or ratth ng.

' Although one form of the invention has been described in considerabledetail, it is be slid beneath a portion of said casing when said supportis rocked into an elevated position, and a spring attached to saidcasing and said support and tending to rock said support into asubstantially horizontal position within said casing.

2. A disappearing toot rest for automobiles adapted to be inset withinthe floor. of such automobiles, said foot rest comprising an open casinghaving supporting marginal flanges, a support adapted to be rockeddownwardly into said casing and having end members each provided with anelongated slot adjacent one end and with a projecting portion extendingbeyond said slot, and pivot pins carried by said casing and passingthrough said slots, said casing having a recessed portion into whichsaid projecting portion is adapted to be slid when said rest is rockedinto elevated position.

3. A disappearing foot rest for automobiles adapted to be inset withinthe floor of such automobiles, said foot rest comprising an openU-shaped casing having supporting marginal flanges, a U-shaped supportadapted to be rocked downwardly into said casing and having end memberseach provided with an elongated slot adjacent one end and with aprojecting portion extending be yond said slot, and pivot pins carriedby said casing and passing through said slots, said casing having arecessed portion into which said projecting portionis adapted to be slidwhen saidrest is rocked into elevated position.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handat Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin.

GEORGE T. VON GERMETEN. CARL F. HANSEN.

